Where college football's conference races stand

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports
8:39 p.m. EST November 18, 2013

Arizona State linebacker Chris Young (5) and defensive tackle Will Sutton (90) celebrate after stopping an Oregon State on third down Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium. The Sun Devils can capture a hotly contested Pac-12 South division race with a win this week at UCLA.(Photo: Jennifer Stewart, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

Arizona State wins the Pac-12 South with a victory on Saturday at UCLA

A loss by Duke in one of its final two regular season games would muddle the ACC Coastal

The stakes are high in the Nov. 30 Iron Bowl, where the winner of Alabama-Auburn takes the SEC West

Counting Dec. 7, when multiple conference meet to decide their respective champions, there are only three full weeks left in the 2013 regular season. For the majority of teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, there are only two games left before the beginning of the postseason. Even with so little time left, nearly every conference remains undecided. Here's where things stand across the FBS after Week 12:

American Athletic Conference: Central Florida sits in the driver's seat after sneaking past Temple, 39-36, to move to 5-0 in American play. Cincinnati and Louisville are tied for second place at 5-1, followed by Houston, 4-2. The Knights are sitting pretty in the race for the league's automatic Bowl Championship Series bid thanks to a pair of crucial head-to-head tiebreakers against the Cardinals and Cougars. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: UCF, Cincinnati, Louisville and Houston.

ACC: Florida State clinched the Atlantic Division in Saturday's 59-3 win against Syracuse. Clemson, 7-1, could still earn an at-large BCS bid by beating rival South Carolina to end the regular season and finishing 11-1. Things are far more muddled in the Coastal Division. Who wants to play the Seminoles? Duke will win the division by beating Wake Forest and North Carolina on the road to finish 6-2 in conference play. But one loss could allow Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami (Fla.) or UNC to win the division. It's complicated. All we know: One of those teams will play FSU on Dec. 7. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: FSU, Clemson, Boston College, Maryland, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami.

Big 12: Baylor continues to roll offensively, with another series of big-play explosiveness leading to Saturday's 63-34 win against Texas Tech. Now 6-0 in Big 12 play, the Bears are in the driver's seat. But after beating Texas, Oklahoma State can take control of the conference by beating the Bears at home on Nov. 23. Texas could conceivably still win the league, but that would entail a huge collapse by both the Bears and Cowboys. Even if UT is mathematically in the mix, this is now a two-team race. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State and Texas Tech.

Oklahoma State quarterback Clint Chelf (10) and fulback Desmond Roland (9) celebrate after a touchdown against Texas during the first quarter Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Oklahoma State has made the Big 12 a two-team race with Baylor.(Photo: Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports)

Big Ten: Ohio State stands one win away from clinching the Leaders Division, thanks to October's win against Wisconsin. But the Badgers remain very much in the hunt for an at-large BCS bid should the Buckeyes reach the BCS National Championship Game. In the Legends Division, Michigan State's win against Nebraska essentially hands the Spartans the divisional title. Barring a surprise, it'll be the Buckeyes and Spartans for the Big Ten title. Teams that clinched bowl eligibility: Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Conference USA: As expected, the East Division will be settled on Nov. 29 — East Carolina at Marshall. Even if Marshall loses its next game to Florida International, it will enter the finale within one game of the Pirates. Over in the West, North Texas – the league's nicest surprise — has the tiebreaker against Rice. To lose the division, UNT (5-1) needs to drop one of its last two while Rice (5-1) wins out. While East meets West to decide the conference title, you could make the case the league's best teams are ECU and Marshall. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: ECU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Rice and Tulane.

Mid-American Conference: Northern Illinois' midweek win against Ball State was big, but the Huskies can't feel secure about notching another West Division title until they get past Toledo on Wednesday. Under the radar, the Rockets have remained in the championship hunt. The East will be decided Nov. 29, when Buffalo (5-1) plays host to Bowling Green (5-1). Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Ball State and Toledo.

Mountain West Conference: We could be headed for a rematch. After taking the regular season matchup, Fresno State might have to beat Boise State again in the league title game to take home the Mountain West title. Both are sitting pretty: Fresno is a game and change ahead of San Diego State in the Mountain Division, while Boise holds the tiebreaker against co-West Division leader Utah State. The MWC championship game is played at the divisional winner with the best record. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Fresno State, Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State and San Diego State.

Boise State running back Devan Demas (26) runs down the sidelines as Wyoming safety Xavier Lewis (18) attempts to catch him during the second half Saturday at Bronco Stadium. The Broncos could be headed to a rematch against Fresno State for the MWC title.(Photo: Brian Losness, USA TODAY Sports)

Pac-12: Oregon has retaken the lead in the Pac-12 North Division, thanks to Stanford's second conference loss of the season. That defeat, at USC, renders the Cardinal's tiebreaker against the Ducks obsolete. For Oregon, wins against Arizona and Oregon State to end the year seals a spot in the Pac-12 title game in December. In comparison, the Pac-12 South remains far from decided. Yes, three teams are eliminated: Arizona, Colorado and Utah. Another three teams are within one game of the divisional lead with two games to go: Arizona State sits at 6-1, a game ahead of USC and UCLA, both 5-2. How will this be settled? On the field, of course. ASU holds a tiebreaker against USC but meets UCLA on Nov. 23. UCLA and USC meet on Nov. 30 – though ASU can render that game meaningless by beating the Bruins. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Arizona State, UCLA, USC and Arizona.

SEC: This won't be your normal Iron Bowl. On Nov. 30, Alabama and Auburn will meet for all the marbles: the SEC West Division, the SEC and, at least for the Crimson Tide, a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. Even if Auburn loses, the Tigers could still claim the SEC"s at-large BCS bid. After beating Florida to finish 6-2 in league play, South Carolina can sit back and root against Missouri – since the Tigers must win against both Mississippi and Texas A&M to finish 7-1 in the SEC, offsetting the Gamecocks' head-to-head tiebreaker. One Missouri loss hands the Gamecocks another East title. In addition to Auburn, teams like USC, Missouri and Texas A&M can make a case for a BCS bowl. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Missouri, South Carolina, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU and Mississippi.

Teams that have accepted a bowl berth: Brigham Young will play in the Fight Hunger Bowl against the sixth pick from the Pac-12. After beating South Alabama 42-14 Saturday, Navy accepted a bid to the Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl. The Midshipmen will meet the third pick from the Mountain West.

Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg.

Alabama Crimson Tide tight end Brian Vogler (84) dives to the end zone past Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Jamerson Love (5) for a touchdown during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium. (Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Spor)

East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Isaiah Jones (7) carries the American flag before the start of the game against the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)

Mike Williams of the Clemson Tigers catches a touchdown as D.J. White of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tries to make a stop during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium. (Photo: Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)

Marshall players raise their helmets to mark the anniversary of the Nov. 14, 1970, plane crash that killed the Marshall football team and others, before an NCAA college football game against Tulsa. (Photo: Matt Barnard, AP)